The little engine that should be saved

Now that a crisis has occurred, many are worried that thousands of train riders could be turning to Highway 101, El Camino Real and Interstate 280 to get to work. Silicon Valley is concerned about how its employees will commute. And transportation officials are scrambling to see if they can create a viable and sustainable source of funding for the beleaguered line. It’s in the best interests of all to ensure that the little engine that could can overcome this latest hurdle.

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The preliminary alternative analysis for how high-speed rail might operate along the Caltrain right of way between San Jose and San Francisco is now up for review. The two extremes — berms, the solid elevated support with tracks on top ( poster child for naysayers) and deep tunnels (the best solution for those who want both trains out of sight) are out. Community outrage over solid walls dividing their communities eliminated berms. Safety concerns over rescuing passengers in case of an accident 100 feet below scratched deep tunnels.

At the High-Speed Rail Authority meeting in San Jose Thursday, the chair, Curt Pringle, emphasized the need to listen to community concerns in each of the nine segments of the proposed line. Thursday was dominated by Peninsula residents. Pringle also emphasized that he and his colleagues were more impressed with constructive presentations rather than what happened at the end of the meeting when some unruly chap grabbed the mike and started hurling insults. A planned demonstration of protesters before the 9 a.m. meeting fizzled. Probably a smart thing. Peninsula residents who spoke were both respectful and positive in stating their concerns.

The star of the proceedings was Robert Doty, the project manager for Peninsula Rail, on loan to high-speed rail by Caltrain. Unlike the typical technocrat, Doty presents his facts, figures and philosophy in a folksy and passionate way. Underneath the warmth is a person who knows his stuff from managing high-speed rail projects in other countries. His expertise was not lost on authority members. And he has been unstinting in the amount of time he is willing to spend with community leaders.

The process takes time and will take time. Issues are complex. This is the largest public works project ever attempted in California. Yet there are federal deadlines to meet. The final Environmental Impact Report must be completed by 2011 and work should start on one segment by 2012.

There are those who say if HSR can’t afford to be built right, then don’t build it. The $5.1 billion allotted to the Peninsula segment is not enough to pay for all of the requested tunnels. These would be shallow tunnels, 30 feet to 45 feet below and would cost five times as much as at-grade construction. So it may be necessary for local communities to pay for what they want. Berkeley paid for BART’s tunnel through their city. That example doesn’t sit well.

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What about replacing BART for Caltrain? That’s extremely expensive and unlikely to happen. BART is not compatible with Caltrain tracks so a new system would have to be created from scratch. Caltrain’s right of way is not wide enough to accommodate BART. To pay for BART service, San Mateo County voters would have to join the BART system and pay property and sales taxes. Or the county would have to put an increased sales tax on the ballot. In addition, SamTrans would have to make a significant contribution. One of the reasons Santa Clara County has reduced its funding for Caltrain is because of the huge amount it owes for BART to San Jose.

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The wisest solution is to find a reliable and permanent source of funding for the commuter rail, probably through a regional rail system which expands beyond the current three partners. In the meantime, it is essential that Caltrain maintain its level of service and become electrified, courtesy of HSR.

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I sat next to San Mateo Councilman Brandt Grotte at the HSR meeting. While the city is supportive of HSR, Grotte had some concerns with some of the alternatives. They include maintaining an open viaduct option near the Hillsdale Station to reconnect the east and west sides; not impacting El Camino Real at the Hillsdale Shopping Center, and minimizing the need for additional right of way in northern San Mateo and downtown.

Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs every Monday. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.